This invention relates generally to methods and apparatuses for verifying an authorized user of a credit and/or identification card, and more particularly to a method and apparatus which utilizes a plurality of scanning stations for verifying the authorized user of the card.
Recently, attempts have been made to develop systems for preventing the unauthorized use of credit cards. These systems typically utilize various devices for authenticating the identity of the user of such cards. One such system has been to provide on the face of the card a fingerprint of the owner of the card wherein the user's fingerprint must match the fingerprint on the card. The concept of utilizing fingerprint identification as verification for the authenticity of a credit/identification card is well-known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,985 (Lofberg) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,901 (Hiramatsu) each disclose a typical identifying system. However, fingerprint identification requiring the user's fingerprint to be compared to a fingerprint of the owner on the card suffers from the disadvantage that the credit card may easily be tampered with, e.g., the owner's fingerprint is replaced by the fingerprint of the unauthorized user.
Other methods of identifying authorized users of cards also suffer from the same disadvantage. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,086 (Lilley et al.) discloses a verification system whereby a bar code having information about the owner of the card is provided on the card and compared to information kept on a database which communicates with the system. Like fingerprint identification, the bar code which is applied on the surface of the card can be tampered with.
Presently, there is a need for a method and apparatus for verifying an authorized user of a credit/identification card which can detect whether the card has been altered so that an unauthorized user is prevented from using the card.
Among the several objects of the present invention are the provision of an improved method for verifying an authorized user of a credit/identification card which is capable of detecting whether the card has been tampered with or changed; the provision of such an improved method having several cross-checking steps which substantially ensure authorized use of the card; the provision of such a method capable of verifying whether a fingerprint of the user of a card matches a fingerprint of the owner of the card; the provision of such a method capable of verifying whether a voice print of the user of the card matches a voice print of the owner of the card; the provision of such a method capable of verifying whether a retinal print of the user of the card matches a retinal print of the owner of the card; the provision of such a method which withholds the card from an unauthorized user; and the provision of such a method which is capable of recording a fingerprint of an unauthorized user.
Also among the several objects of the present invention are the provision of an improved apparatus for verifying an authorized user of a credit/identification card; the provision of such an apparatus which is capable of detecting whether the card has been tampered; the provision of such an apparatus having several scanning devices for substantially ensuring authorized use of the card; the provision of such an apparatus having a fingerprint scanning device and associated means for verifying whether a fingerprint of the user of the card matches a fingerprint of the owner of the card; the provision of such an apparatus having a microphone and associated means for verifying whether a voice print of the user of the card matches a voice print of the owner of the card; the provision of such an apparatus having a retinal scanning device and associated means for verifying whether a retinal print of the user of the card matches a retinal print of the owner of the card; the provision of such an apparatus which withholds the card from an unauthorized user; the provision of such an apparatus which is capable of recording a fingerprint of an unauthorized user; and the provision of such an apparatus which encrypts data transmission when communicating with a central database.
In general, a method for verifying an authorized user of a credit/identification card comprises the steps of:
(a) inserting the card into an apparatus having a plurality of scanning:stations, the card including a surface having a strip thereon which has information germane to the owner of the card, such as an identification number and other personal data, and at least one fingerprint thereon of the owner of the card; PA1 (b) scanning the strip of the card at an information strip scanning station of the apparatus for verifying the information of the card including the identification number; PA1 (c) comparing the information stored on the strip of the card to information of the owner stored on at least one accessible database in communication with the apparatus, the apparatus withholding the card from the user if the information on the card does not match the information germane to the owner of the card which is stored in the database; PA1 (d) scanning the surface of the card at a graphic scanning station of the apparatus which digitizes the surface of the card by imaging every line thereof; PA1 (e) converting the image of the surface of the card to a digital numeric sequence; PA1 (f) comparing the surface of the card as scanned by the graphic scanning device and converted to a digital numeric sequence to a digital numeric sequence stored in the database for determining whether the card has been tampered with, the apparatus withholding the card from the user if the surface of the card does not match the surface of the card stored by the database; PA1 (g) obtaining a fingerprint of the user; PA1 (h) scanning the fingerprint of the user at a fingerprint scanning station; and PA1 (i) comparing the fingerprint of the user to the fingerprint on the card and to a fingerprint of the owner of the card in the database to ensure authorized use of the card, the apparatus withholding the card from the user if the fingerprint scanned by the fingerprint scanning device does not match the fingerprints on the card and in the database, whereby, upon matching the user's fingerprint to the fingerprints on the card and in the database for ensuring the user of the card is the owner of the card, the apparatus allowing the user to use the card for a desired purpose.
An apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention comprises an information strip scanning device for scanning the information strip of the card and means for comparing the information contained in the strip to information of the owner stored on at least one accessible database in communication with the apparatus. The apparatus withholds the card from the user if the information on the card does not match the information germane to the owner of the card which is stored in the database. The apparatus and database include encryption means for encrypting data transmissions between the apparatus and the database. A graphic scanning device scans the surface of the card in which the graphic scanning device digitizes the surface of the card by imaging every line thereof. Suitable means converts the image of the surface of the card to a digital numeric sequence and means compares the surface of the card as scanned by the graphic scanning device and converted to a digital numeric sequence by the converting means to a digital numeric sequence stored in the database for determining whether the card has been altered. The apparatus withholds the card from the user if the surface of the card does not match the surface of the card stored by the database. A fingerprint scanning device having a pad upon which the user of the card presses with a finger for obtaining a fingerprint of the user scans the fingerprint of the user, and suitable means compares the fingerprint of the user to the fingerprint on the card and to a fingerprint of the owner of the card in the database to ensure authorized use of the card. The apparatus withholds the card from the user if the fingerprint scanned by the fingerprint scanning device does not match the fingerprints on the card and in the database. Thus, upon matching the user's fingerprint to the fingerprints on the card and in the database for ensuring the user of the card is the owner of the card, the apparatus allows the user to use the card for a desired purpose.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.